Dead Until Desire
by BeccaMorris
Summary: A fresh dose of disaster, romance and blood. All warmed up with a splash of surprise. Enjoy ! X
1. Chapter 1

**I let my mind and eyes search through the human and vamp crowds populating Fangtasia. I looked over towards the north corner and to my displeasure I saw my brother hitting on some fang-banger. She looked eerily like Crystal Norris, the lying slut who'd cheated on my brother, out of respect for the dead I would, of course, never say this to my brother but I couldn't help thinking that maybe he wanted to replace her. My brother doesn't often make a commitment but when he does he is usually good at sticking to them. So when he found out Crystal was cheating on him it threw his world upside down. I suppose he finally met his match in Crystal. But now he could move on and rise above her he chose not to which confused me no end. The poor girl he was with didn't quite know what to make of him. She 'only did vampires' but she thought that my brother was as hot as a bucket of spicy ribs from Charlie Chims. But I wasn't here to play the chaperone for my brother I was here to find my oh-so gorgeous semi-husband. Eric was the owner of fangtasia so of course I should find him here. Secondly there was always the bond we shared. I could try and find him through that but to be honest that felt a bit too personal seeing as I still harboured a miniature grudge since he made me pledge to him without asking me first. Now don't get me wrong I would love the fact that Eric the sexiest vampire-Viking on this earth wanted to protect me but, call me traditional, I think it's always best if both parties consent before they get 'married'. **

**Pam, the cold-hearted vamp, who'd strangely taken a liking to me waved at me when she saw me sitting on my own in a booth. She sauntered over to me making all the males in the club stop and stare, it was like something out of a movie. She was wearing a blood red dress that stuck to her impeccable figure like glue. It was slit up the thigh revealing just the edge of some risky black lacy pants. She was obviously waiting for a special meal tonight. I smiled as convincingly as possible as Eric's child took a seat beside me I knew she was pleased that she'd found me here evidently looking for Eric. **

"**Sookie, as always it's lovely to see you." She smirked. " I wonder, are you looking for a certain vampire that we both hold close to our hearts.' Sarcasm much Pam ? **

" **Humph" I grunted, " Yes I suppose I am, I don't suppose you could tell me where he is could you?" I shot an equally sarcastic grin at her smarmy face. She looked stunning and I dressed in one of my value buys from Tara's Togs looked less than appealing. But I suppose it was suitable get-up for a 'wife' visiting her 'husbands' business. **

" **Well my darling I think he is in his office, but be warned he is in the middle of a meal so knock first, won't you." Pam said, she certainly was acting strange today. She glided away and I watched her meet up with a man, which probably explained her mood; Pam rarely uses men, I mentally checked him out but to no avail. His mind was a complete brick wall. He wasn't vamp and definelty not shifter, I received a red-ish warm glow from them. Must be something else I made up my mind to question Eric about him later. At that moment a girl who could only be described as cheap tried and failed to walk sexily out of the door to Eric's office. She was wearing black five inch heels a black bra, thong and nothing else. Must be one of those whore's you can by if you're a vamp with money. I gave her a dirty look and shot over to the door to my 'husband's' office. **

" **Evening darling," Pam's sarcasm had obviously rubbed off on me. " I see you couldn't wait for me to arrive then?" I smiled temptingly. My vampire looked up from his paperwork and a kind of euphoria swept across his beautiful face. **

" **My Lover, how long you have kept me waiting." he was up like a lightning bolt and strode across the room like a lottery winner collecting his prize. I laughed as he swung me round in his arms. What was with me today, I was acting like an infatuated teenager. I found his mouth with my lips and kissed him like I would never be able to again. I pulled back and did a quick check of the room. Not even a sofa, only the desk. Well I guess a certain stunning vampire wasn't getting lucky tonight. He could feel the resistance in my embrace and tried with all his might to persuade my body otherwise but to no avail. I knew what I wanted. **

" **So, my lover, you come to Fangtasia and toy with my emotions and then don't let me devour you, what is on your mind." We'd relocated to a booth in the busy club. Whilst in his own bar Eric could hardly flout the rules. We wouldn't want to set a bad example, would we ? **

" **Well, Eric I've been thinking about this pledge thing and it means a lot to your people but it means next to nothing to mine. So I think that seeing as I haven't, yet, taken you to court for not notifying me of my own pledge to you, I think it's only fair that I get my share of the fun." Eric's face was clouded by confusion. But in one of those rare moments of insight when I picked up a signal from a vampire's mind I heard Eric think, **_**Is she asking what I think she's asking? **_**And to my own amazement, I was, I was asking him to marry me. **

" **Wait, lover, let me do this my way." He said in a sexy, seductive tone. **

**He glided off to the DJ booth and said something in a whisper to the vamp manning the discs. Suddenly the music cut off and I had a feeling I knew what was going to happen next. **

" **Thank-you ladies and gentlemen," Eric's irresistible voice boomed over the speakers. " I require your attention for only a few moments, as I am sure most of you know I am Eric Northman, your most gracious host for tonight." I sighed, everything was a chance for publicity with Eric. " I am in love, yes love, with a most beautiful, charming, seductive and **_**very**_** talented human woman, and tonight in front of you, my guests I would like to ask her something." He looked directly at me and motioned for me to come out of my booth and onto the middle of the dance floor. I obliged, apparently under his spell. **

" **Sookie, my lover, tonight in front of all these people I pledge my love to you." He stepped off the platform and walked over to me, the people crowding us parting as if he were Moses. " And so my lover, I ask you, will you marry me?" He sank to one knee and somehow produced a ring from his back pocket. I stared at him and for a moment I didn't know what to say. " Yes." I said, simple and straightforward. He slid the ring onto my finger and picked me up in his arms. Oh heck, maybe this Viking would get lucky tonight…**

**A.N : This is the first piece of FF I've ever written and I hope you like it, please review. X **


	2. Chapter 2

A.N: Hey everyone, sorry about the bold last time, if it happens again I'm going to get my laptop checked out. Thanks for reviewing x Love you Guys x

" Uhh." I groaned as I woke-up to the bright Louisiana sun. I rubbed my eyes and slowly opened them, peeking out millimetre by millimetre. I reached for the dressing gown that I usually chuck over my bed after a late night. But it wasn't there, I groped around my eyes still shut tight. Then my hands reached the ends of the bed, I reached for one of the four posts that support my late grandmothers ancient bed. My hand, which after years of holding on to the post, didn't hold onto anything, I fell forwards luckily not falling of the bed onto the oak floor. My eyes snapped open. I looked around, startled, where the hell was I ? It definelty wasn't my little home. I quickly jumped out of bed and scrambled around trying to find something less revealing to put on. It turned out that my gold dress from Tara's Togs had gotten ripped last night, it lay on the floor in shreds, and I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to know how it got to that state. I realised then that I was in a strange house that probably belonged to some vamp or another and I was only wearing the leopard print under I had sneakily slipped on last night. I thought back to last night, I remembered going to Fangtasia and seeing Pam, then she met up with some guy and then _Oww ! _My head felt like someone had just tipped a super ice freeze drink, that hyped teenagers buy at the cinema, all over my head. I held onto my head as the room started swirling. A single tear escaped from my eye. It wasn't the pain it was just the fact that I had no clue what the hell I'd done last night. And to be perfectly honest that worried me a lot. Suddenly everything came back into focus, I saw that on the end of the bed there was a woman's dress, intact thank god, and a note.

_Lover, _

_I had hoped you'd wake earlier. I wanted to see you before I left for the day. Last night was really something. _

_Go home, I'll visit you when I wake. _

_Eric. X_

I stared at the letter. What the hell was that supposed to mean. Eric wasn't exactly known for his knack of describing things that well but surely he could've given me a better clue than that ? I sighed and quickly slipped into the crimson dress. To my dismay it wasn't one of Pam's more sophisticated numbers it was probably borrowed from a fang-banger. I was low-cut and slit down the thighs. I was short and tight. I sighed. Eric had obviously hoped to catch a glance of me in this dress, if the flimsy piece of material could even be considered a dress. I was suddenly grateful that my family had chosen an out-of-the-way piece of land to build our house on. I trod into my heels from last night, my feet ached like hell warmed up. I sighed at the thought of Eric devising a master plan to make me look stupid as I drove home to my small town of Bon Temps. I've my Gran saw me like this she'd probably put a sack over me and stop me from seeing anyone for a week. I tentatively opened to door. Thankfully it didn't creak though I doubted there'd be anyone awake at this time. What was the time anyway ? I scanned the hallway for my purse. I found it hanging on the banisters to an underground room. I mentally decided never to go down there. I tiptoed to the exquisitely carved doors and hurried out. I looked around hoping that I'd had the sense to bring my car to this place. Thank the lord that I had. I practically sprinted over to it I launched my self into it and reversed speedily out of the driveway. Once on the motorway I had more of a chance to think. Question One : What the hell had I done last night ? Answer One : Gotten drunk and a friend had kindly offered to take me in for the night. Not possible, this is Eric we're talking about here Brain. Answer Two : Eric and I had done something stupid. God forbid. And now I was out of answers, well this certainly didn't look good. I sighed.

The roads were pretty easy to navigate and I was home in no time. Bon Temps hadn't changed at all in my absence. I made my mind up to call Sam when I got home and let him know I would be in today. I'm not really sure why I needed to tell him that, Sam knows I'd be in just as sure as he'd change into a collie at the full moon. I turned off the main road onto the little road that lead to Bill's house and to mine. I could drive this road blindfolded. I swerved into my drive, I could hear the gravel that Eric had had laid crunching under my tyres. I sighed, why the hell did he feel the need to protect me all time ? Not that I didn't appreciate it, my only living relative Jason was hardly going to jump to save me, Jason loved Jason. Not Sookie. I cleared those thoughts from my head. For some reason or another I was in a foul mood today. I checked the clock on the dash board. Four Thirty. Great a whole day wasted at Eric's. I opened the door to the car Tara had sold to me for a dollar after mine got ruined in a fire. I slammed it shut. Luckily my keys were still in my purse. I took one last look around my little front yard. The trees were turning crimson and brown. It looked like fall was definelty here. I opened the newly painted red door. I shucked my coat and hung it up on the pegs just inside the hallway. I slammed the door behind me and wandered into my little kitchen. I stopped dead when I saw what was in the kitchen sink. I closed my eyes and counted to ten. I re-opened them and…


	3. Chapter 3

I was knocked off my feet by a human shaped blur. It hit into me hard and pushed me to the floor. I hit my head on the cabinet as I went down and small droplets of blood seeped onto my scalp and into my hair. My 'dress' made an awful ripping noise and I realised that it'd split in two. I looked up into the yellow eyes of my attacker. He was a panther. He was snarling in a blood-curdling way. But he wasn't all panther. His hands were human and on the left hand ring finger there was a ring. It was awful familiar. I tried to focus on that ring as the panther started clawing my stomach and shredding my legs. Blood ran freely from the wounds. I heard a crunch from somewhere around my leg and then awful sharp pain hit me. I gasped as I lost my focus. So much pain in my legs. It hurt so bad. I bit my lip. There was no way anyone would here me if I screamed and I didn't want to aggravate this shifter anymore. Then he hit my head again and everything went dark.

I woke up feeling terribly groggy. I was aware that there was someone else in the room. My body hurt like hell but I kept my eyes closed. I opened my mind to find the extra person in the room. Shifter. Bitten. _Oh fuck Calvin's gonna kill me for this._ I shut my mind off. There was some pretty awful images of me in that brain. Deep breaths, I knew who it was over there in the corner of the little kitchen. And at the moment he was extremely dangerous to me. I closed my eyes and focused on the pain in my right leg. Calm down Sookie, Calm down. Beside me I could feel some sort of wooden cone. Oh shit. It was a stake. I picked it up in my right hand. I could feel the warm stickiness of my own blood. Slowly and carefully. This was going to hurt. My attacker was about a foot away from me. His hands were covering his face. He was cowering like a little boy. In an instant I felt sorry for him. Then I remembered what he'd done to me. I raised the stake and jammed it into his leg. The creature howled in pain his eyes met mine for a second and then he was out. I looked at the creature curled up, now one the floor. I looked at his blonde hair and his tanned skin and I cried. My brother had tried to kill me.

My first thought was to call 911 then I realised that if I did I'd have some pretty heavy explaining to do. So instead I called the were option. Calvin Norris. I pulled my self over to my bag. It was lying on the table. I figured that's where my attacker had lain in wait. I couldn't bear to think of him as my brother that just hurt too damn much. I reached out for my purse. I paused and gritted my teeth. There was an immense pain from my arm. But I managed to grab it. I meticulously picked my way through the contents of my bag until I found the cell that Eric had had to replace for me after the last one got ruined. I flicked through my phone book, I paused before I pressed the call button. It rang once.

"Sookie, what can I do for you today ?" Calvin's cheerful voice resonated loudly into my ears. I winced, I seemed to hurt everywhere. " Calvin, thank-god, listen, Jason just attacked me, I staked him and he's lying on my floor, please, for god sake could you send someone down here ?" I paused, I blinked away the tears that were clouding my eyes.

" Sookie just stay where you are, we'll be right down." I flipped the phone shut. The grave sound of Calvin's voice frightened me. A lot. I let my mind drift back to the horrible sight that had greeted me from the kitchen sink. There had been blood lots of blood. And someone's left ear.

I tried my best to crawl to the door but by the time I got there the were's had already forced their way in. Calvin sprinted to me whilst his brothers ran into the kitchen to find Jason. " The sink." I whispered. " It's in the sink" The pain must've come through my voice because Calvin gathered me up in his arms and carried me to my bed. Or it could've been all the blood on my body. I didn't even want to think about how he knew where my bed was. I didn't even remember giving him directions to my house. He disappeared into my en suite. Right then I heard a familiar voice call through the door. Amelia. She ran into my room. Aw Jesus, I realised I'd gotten blood all over the carpet. Well shit. Right then Calvin re-appeared. He noted Amelia and motioned for her to sit with me. I looked out the window as Calvin began to work on my body. He had my first aid kit from the bathroom cabinet. Amelia fed me dozens of aspirin. Suddenly I was so tired. I'd worry about Jason when I woke-up. Oh god, and Eric.

A cold hand was brushing my hair. I opened my eyes slowly and carefully because whenever I did something bad always seemed to happen. I looked into the beautifully warm eyes of Eric Northman. I felt a sweet kind of warmness spread through my body.

" My lover." He whispered. Through the numbness of the drugs I felt his lips sweep over my forehead. I inhaled his sweet scent. He had one arm curled protectively over me and the other was still holding onto my hairbrush. I smiled through the pain that was returning. Then something occurred to me, whose ear had been in my sink. But that didn't need figuring out straight away what did was what happened last night.

" Eric," I said putting an ounce of warning into my voice " what did we do last night." He laughed, loud and thunderously. Then he caught sight of my serious face.

" Sookie, you really don't remember ?" He smiled although I could see the caution behind his eyes.

" No actually Eric I don't." God, talk about role reversal. Last year it'd been him being all amnesiac. His booming laugh filled my head and the house.

" Where is everyone ?" I asked feeling really confused. It reminded me of when I first moved in with Gran and I would wakeup and cry for my mom. But instead of my grandmother to be there for me, this time it was a supremely sexy Viking.

" The were's fixed your door and then left with Jason." I saw his beautiful face turn into a grimace when he thought of my brother. My brother, the one who'd tried to kill me.

" Eric, Jason was at fangtasia, seriously, what did he see." I asked, my voice shook with anger and disbelief.

" He left before anything happened." Eric said soothingly. This was definelty weird it was kind of like having the amnesiac Eric back with me. The one that cared.


	4. Chapter 4

When I awoke Eric had left me. I sighed, the pillow next to me still held his scent. Sickly and honey-ish but beautiful. I curled into a tight ball. The autumnal daylight was seeping through my window, I knew this day would definelty be a hard one but for the time being I just wanted to be warm and cosy. I didn't want to even have to think about all the garish things I had seen the night before. It might have only been last night but I seemed like it ways years and years ago. I just wanted to stay where I was but it seemed a certain Mr Calvin Norris had some different ideas in mind. I felt his fuzzy shifter mind approach my front door. Sadly you can't rescind an initiation with shifters like you can with vampires. But to be honest on a scale of one to ten shifters were about four on the 'impending beings' register. Calvin's large ruddy hands knocked on my door three times. I hefted myself out of bed and limped sluggishly towards the door. My leg was beginning to hurt again, looks like I'd need to be sending Amelia out for another dozen packs of paracetomol, speaking of Amelia, where the hell was my magical roomie. I rolled my eyes, what happened to leaving a note when you left ? I undid the dead-bolt and without looking through my peephole, opened to damaged door.

" Calvin." I said in greeting, I tiredly waved a hand for him to come in. He looked a tad, apprehensive about being in my house alone. What must he think of me ?

"Sookie, are you feeling any better ?" Calvin took a seat on one of the old couch's. I reached for the last pill on the end table. I'd had to take too many of these little fella's in my time with the vampires so I could just swallow them straight out. Calvin fit right in with his surroundings but he wasn't comfortable. I decided it'd probably be better if I didn't scan his brain. Sometimes it's nicer to be blissfully unaware of the bad news than to know every detail before it's told to you.

" Does it really look like I am Calvin ?" I asked him wearily. " Last night my brother attacked me for some un-known reason, I have a chunk of my memory missing and I'm black and blue all over, now tell me does that seem alright to you?" I looked at him aggressively. He seemed to shrink a bit under the power of anger in my glare.

" Well, um, sorry 'bout that." He looked at his lap. I nodded, fully aware he wouldn't see it.

" So, how is my _brother._" I spat out the word brother. As far as I was concerned he was no relation of mine.

"Jason is very ill, the night he attacked, well it wasn't his choice." Calvin looked at me and took a pause, I raised my eyebrows for him to continue. "He was taking V." That right there shocked me, my brother was taking vampire blood, illegally.

"Are you serious?" I asked my voice quavering.

" Yes, he took a vial in Fangtasia and he left right before, you know, The Thing." Calvin looked at me sheepishly. I knew he meant The Thing I couldn't remember. I just let it go.

" It's addictive to everyone but it has some really bad effects on us shifters." Calvin's expression turned grave. I put my head in my hands. I really didn't need this now.

"What about the ear in my sink?" I sighed. I made level eye contact with him. Easier to spot the lie.

"Well you'll be pleased to know it wasn't Jason's." Pleased, yeah, right.

"It doesn't matter if it was his or not. He put it there." I said, seeing red.

"How do you know?" Calvin was suddenly more alert.

"I just do Calvin." I'm not sure if I was telling the truth or not. But sometimes I get really strong feelings about good stuff. It makes me think that maybe I'm more than just telepathic. I just wanted Calvin to leave me alone. Sure my brother might've been under the influence of drugs but he still attacked me. He could've killed me. Calvin could tell that I just wanted to be left alone. He started looking at his watch.

"There is going to be a kind of judgement of Jason at midnight tonight." He paused, " I'd like it if you were there, you can bring your vampire or Sam, we'd prefer Sam but if you feel the need for protection then a collie isn't going to help you much." I could tell that this advice was definelty 'off the record'. I nodded and showed him to the door.

" I'll be there tonight, but after yesterday don't be surprised if I leave before the final judgement." I closed the door. I heard him walk to his car. He drove away. The first tear fell from my eye. I slid against the door. My head fell into my hands, I started sobbing uncontrollably. I saw a small piece of lined paper under the mat. I reached over and tugged it. It came out easily. It read :

_Jason, _

_If you get this letter it means that I've got my memory back and you are no longer missing. I write this to you in your sister's bedroom. She is asleep. She looks so, amazing when she is sleeping. I love her Jason I really do. I've put this in my desk at Fangtasia. I hope that by the time I re-remember myself that I'll look in my desk and find the letter. I wrote one to both of us. My one just tells me how much I love her. This me asking you permission. I want to marry her. Well I do now. I know that these feelings are true because the witch that be-spelled me said that I would go to the one I loved. I will always want to marry her, Jason. So what do you say. If you can tell me as soon as possible. I've addressed this already. I got it from Sookie's phone book. Hopefully I won't doubt myself and look inside. My letter to myself should explain everything to me. _

_Yours, _

_Eric Northman. _

My heart stopped I couldn't breath. Eric had asked me to marry him. I'd said yes ? Jason, who was on V at the time had been at fangtasia that night, he'd found out, Eric said he'd left before anything happened. Oh shit. I'm engaged. Well where the hell was my diamond ring?

A.N. Finally, that took me just under two days to churn out. It didn't end how I'd planned but I loved the idea of Eric planning for his future because it's so out of character.

B.


	5. Chapter 5

A.N. It's judgement day !!

"Sam ?"

"Sookie ?" My boss's voice echoed over the phone. Instantly I got a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

"Hey, I was just wondering if maybe you wouldn't mind coming to Hotshot with me?" I held my breath, Sam didn't exactly have the highest opinion of the folks in Hotshot, but he had nothing against Calvin Norris.

" Yeah sure, I'll get someone to cover for me." He almost sounded happy at the prospect.

"But why do you need to go there ?" Hmmm, didn't last long.

" You know the whole Jason thing, it's his judgement day." I said trying to sound as neutral as possible. `

" Ah, yeah I'll pick you up at eleven thirty."

" How did you know it'd be at midnight ?" I asked, surely Calvin hadn't already spoke to him, had he ?

" Sook, I may not be completely in the shifter community but I've been to these things before." Oh that explained it.

" Okay, see you then." I was pleased he'd accompany me.

"Sure thing cher."

" Oh, and Sam ?" I paused,

"Yeah ?"

"Thanks for coming with me." He laughed, it made me smile. We put the phone down. I suddenly realised I needed to talk to Eric. It was just dark, to early for Fangtasia to be open but just late enough for him to have had a 'snack'. I chuckled to myself and picked up the phone again. I perched on the kitchen counter. It was nice to take the weight of for a minute or two. But before I could dial fangtasia I heard a knock at the door. I put the phone back on the hook. Who the hell could it be ? I plodded slowly over the battered red door. How nice it'd looked only a couple of days ago. I stretched up to look through the peephole, I'd decided I needed one after I'd had some rather unpleasant surprise visitors. Not that it could stop a were. But it could keep out a vampire. I blushed when I saw who it was. Eric. Speak of the devil. I undid the broken dead-bolt he was standing there the moon illuminating his perfect face. He really took my breath away.

" H-hi." I said, stammering. Oh god.

" Hello, Lover." Eric's suave voice drifted into my ears like a melody. " May I come in ?" He asked when I didn't move.

" Yeah, sure." I cursed my brother, how comes it was me who had to get attacked ? I looked positively disgusting.

" So lover, what's new ?" Okay he was actually trying to talk his way into my bed now. He was being so, delicious. Two can play at that game,

" Well, I was wondering where my diamond was." I trailed off raising an eyebrow. Yep that definelty shocked him.

" I was about to tell you about that, I thought you'd forgotten ?" He was practically sweating.

" Yeah, I found a letter from you to Jason, that kinda jogged my memory." I winked at him. Although I still had no clue what we'd done at his house I had a pretty good idea.

" Well, I've got your diamond." He smiled. Now it was my turn to look shocked.

" Seriously ?" I could hear the apprehension in my voice. He nodded. He got down on one knee and took my left hand.

" I did give a different ring to you on the night but when we got home I took it off you; far to simple for my taste." He winked. Oh god.

He got out a velvet box and opened it deftly with one hand. I stared wordlessly at the huge white gold diamond ring inside.

"Oh, Eric." I was crying. He took that as a yes and put the perfectly fitting ring on my finger. He stood up and kissed me. I was so blissfully happy at that moment I didn't worry about Sam or Bill or Jason. I was, for once, just thinking about me and Eric. He swung me up in his arms. I gasped at how fast he moved. He carried on kissing me until yet another knock at the door burst our bubble. I sighed, couldn't just carry on now. I checked myself in the mirror on the way to the door. I caught sight of the time, nope it wasn't Sam. Eric took my hand and I opened the door with my free one. It was Pam.

" Un, Hi." I said, I invited her in. She stepped in the door and her eyes immediately fell on the ring on my left, slightly bruised, hand.

" See you got it on her then." She said to Eric. As usual Pam was wearing a pastel coloured garment which this night happened to be a trouser suit.

" Your friend Amelia told me to come over to check on you." She said to me. Amelia had called fangtasia ? I nodded.

" She said she's gone to see her dad for two days and she's sorry about the timing." I sighed, Amelia always had her way.

" Okay, thanks for passing on the message." I smiled at Pam, it must've looked quite displeasing because she grimaced.

" So you two are getting hitched eh ?" She snaked her way past us into the lounge. We followed her.

" Yes." Eric said tiredly, evidently he'd never hear the end of this at work.

" So, what part do I play ?" Pam asked I think I picked up a hint of excitement in her voice.

" Bridesmaid." I said at the same time that Eric said, " Best man." I think Pam was a tad insulted by Eric's suggestion.

" So many offers, so little time." Pam sighed batting her eyelashes, she was sat in the armchair opposite us. " Who else are you having as bridesmaids?" She asked me.

"Well, I'd quite like Tara to be my maid of honour seeing as she's married and you and Amelia to be my bridesmaids. But if you say no I'll have Holly and Danielle from work." Pam considered that for a second.

" And Eric, who are your other options ?" She asked.

" Well, if you my child, decline this offer I'll ask Sam, maybe." So no other options from Eric.

" Sorry Sook, the mans hopeless." She shrugged her shoulders. I nodded, pretending to look sad.

" Eric, Jason's at Hotshot, they're judging him tonight." I said after a silent moment.

" Ah, Do you want me to come." He looked into my eyes, forgetting Pam for a second. I shrugged and bit my lip.

" I asked Sam to accompany me because I didn't think you'd be here." I said trying to be innocent. Eric nodded knowingly. He looked at Pam.

"Well, if you come as well it might not seem so strange, not that it could seeing as we're engaged now." Eric switched his gaze to me proudly. I blushed.

Outside I heard another car pull up, Sam, I felt the confusion in his mind. I heard him walk up to my door. Eric was opening it before he could knock and I could get up. Luckily I was dressed and kind of presentable.

"Welcome." I heard Eric say coldly. Sam must've nodded because he walked in behind Eric. I smiled at Sam as he walked in.

" Hello." I said, bracing myself.

" We are going to be attending this 'function' with you, Pam and I will take her car and follow you, we all agree that Sookie could do with some more protection in her present state." Eric was a very good public speaker but his words did nothing for Sam who looked like he'd just been slapped in the face. I followed his eyes, he had seen my diamond. Ah.

"Well, shall we go ?" Sam said to me, ice in his voice. I nodded shyly. Eric got my cranberry coat and my bag and helped me put them on. He kissed me again before we got into our separate cars. I noticed that Eric's car gave us a wide berth as we drove into town.

" So, you're engaged." Sam said venomously. I nodded, barely breathing. Despite the fact that he knew I was already semi-married.

" To a vampire." He said, I'd never heard him say the word like that.

" Sam, I do love him." It was the poorest excuse in the book.

" I'm sure you do, but we've got close haven't we, that time in my office, we've got real close, I could protect you as well Sookie." He was almost begging me now. He knew I wouldn't change my mind.

" I was going to ask you to give me away." I could read his mind, ' what about Jason' he was thinking.

" Sookie, although I wish it was my ring you're wearing I'll give you away." I was so glad. But there wasn't any time left. We'd arrived at Calvin's. I thanked Sam and slowly got out of the car. Eric was there. He helped me out and held me ringed hand as we walked round to the back of the house. All the family was there. Jason was sat on a podium at the front. He looked like death, he saw Eric and I walk in. He spotted the ring on my hand and he looked like a little lost boy. But I didn't warm to him at all, he'd betrayed me. Calvin came up to me, he was looking very sombre.

" Sookie, I am glad you are here." He said nodding respectfully to Eric and Pam and shaking hands with Sam.

" I hope I will be." I said optimistically.

" Well, there are refreshments inside if you need them, I'm sorry my friends we have no provisions for your kind, please accept our humblest apologies, we were not expecting you." Eric nodded. I assumed Pam did the same. Eric and I wandered of to the outside of the circle. There were seats. I sat with Eric next to me. We were silent. Calvin came out from the house, everyone was seated. I held my breath. Pam was standing at the back. She could reach us quickly enough if need be. Sam was sat with one of the prettier Norris girls. I smiled briefly at him. He seemed quite pleased with his catch. Calvin cleared his throat and all the whispering stopped.

" We are here, as a family, to judge this man," he motioned towards Jason. " He attacked his sister, his only living relative, in cold blood. He took V and betrayed the honour of not only the pack but also of the newly publicised shifter community." In a less formal tone he continued. " Lets make this quick, the penalty for attempted murder is of course death, we have spoke with Jason and he did not deny the charges." Those around me nodded, Eric's grip tightened. "Those in favour of Jason raise your hand." No one. " Those against." Everyone one. Calvin's eyes darted to me. "Case closed." Calvin proclaimed.

" If you'll follow us into the woods." Calvin retreated from the podium. I was knocked breathless, death ? I followed the crowd, with my vampire in tow, like a ghost. I must've looked like one too because the crowd parted. I floated to the front of the assembly. Jason was on his knees. He was panicking. Jason was about to die. Calvin held an axe. He pulled it up. Eric was behind me. Jason looked at me, Calvin looked at me, The axe began to fall. " NO !"….


	6. Chapter 6

Calvin Norris turned to look at me, axe poised in mid air. I looked down at my brother, he was looking directly at me. His expression had turned into something resembling hope. At that moment I cursed my upbringing, any other person who's brother had nearly killed them would be pleased to see this sentence. Maybe. But I'd been brought up mostly under my grandmothers rule, she was never harsh but she was strong willed, I think she imparted some of that into me, but I doubt Jason learnt anything from her.

" Calvin, I know I'm not a were and I know that we obviously live by slightly different moral codes but don't kill him, I know he tried to kill me. But I don't want him dead I just want him gone." Calvin looked slightly perplexed. I continued, " And so if what I am about to do will not disgrace your honour, I would like to abjure my brother." Everyone around me sounded shocked, but I felt Eric's cool hand slip into mine and I knew he'd help me with this one.

"Yes, go ahead Sookie." Calvin sounded choked, I doubt he realised I knew how to do this, but I stepped into the circle confidently. I looked my brother in the eyes, for the last time.

"Jason," I said, " This is it, I abjure you, I no longer see you or hear you, I no longer eat with you and I no longer pray with you I abjure you. I looked back to Calvin. I nodded and walked back to Eric.

" I will leave now, you may do what you have to, to protect your honour, but killing people is not the way forward." I wasn't sure what to do now so I turned to Eric and he pulled me out of the congregation.

Eric rode in Sam's car with us on the way back, Pam drove back to Fangtasia in her own car. I have to say it was more than just a little awkward on the drive back to my little house. It was weird seeing Eric sitting in the front seat of Sam's car. I have to give it to both of them, they really tried to talk and sound comfortable but I could see it wasn't going to work. I closed my eyes and drifted off into a light sleep, with all the exhaustion of the day I could definelty do with it. The next thing I knew we had stopped and Eric was undoing my seatbelt. I hooked my arms around his neck and he pulled me lightly from the car. We said our goodbyes and he carried me to the door. My keys were in my pocket, Eric deftly opened the door. In the back of my mind I was aware of another brain in my area but I just let it pass, until we got into the kitchen. Eric growled, he put me behind him. The stocky man in the chair stood up, his hands in the air. I realised pretty quickly that this man was a shifter and he meant us no harm.

"Eric, his okay." I said, I put a hand on Eric's arm, he felt my re-assurance flowing through our bond. He nodded and relaxed just slightly.

" Are you Sookie Stackhouse." He asked, his voice strong like his stance. I nodded carefully.

"I'm Jed." He walked towards us carefully arms still in the air. He outstretched a hand to shake. I accepted and Eric stood aside slightly, realising that I'd just given this man the go ahead. Jed obviously knew who Eric was as he bowed in front of him, I don't think I've ever seen a shifter do that to Eric.

"So, Jed, why are you in my house." I decided to come right out with it.

"I knew your brother and I wanted to just talk with you." He could see now that it might have been better to call if he was one of Jason's buds. I nodded slowly. He didn't quite seem to get it. "What do you need to talk about ?" I asked him, trying not to sound as tired as I felt. He closed his chocolate brown eyes for a second and pulled back his ear. I near enough screamed, Eric made a ghastly guttural sound. I froze in the spot. Jeb the man I had only known for a few minutes was missing an ear. I doubt he was one of my estranged brothers drinking buddies.

I brought Jed in a mug of Amelia's homemade tea. I was pretty shaken by the occurrences of the last ten minutes. He looked up thankfully when I brought it in. He was sitting on the old armchair. I could tell how strange it must be for him having his attackers second victim and sister serve him iced tea. Eric was sat on my favourite sofa, I could tell by the way he was looking that he'd much rather I sort this out later. I had to smile. He was thinking through our bond that ' this Jed bloke was biting into his Sookie-time.' I really did wonder at how my vampires mind worked sometimes. I sat down and tried to make my expression turn more grave.

" I'm so sorry Jed." I said as sympathetically as I could.

" Thank-you ma'am. Jason was a good person he was just easily led. I tried to tell him not to even try and take V but he did anyway. I'm so sorry." I nodded. I honestly felt like giving that kid a hug then. He couldn't be much older than nineteen. But I let him carry-on. " I followed him here, I knew what he was doing. Marsha, the girl he was with, told him about you two and he was just so damn mad after he heard. She's a real piece of work that girl." Jed sighed. " I knew where he was going and earlier this week when he dropped of the firewood I was with him then so I knew where to go. I found him in the kitchen like you did. He got real angry with me for trying to stop him. He fought me hard and eventually he ripped my ear clean of." Jed grimaced when he spoke of this horrific event. I reached out and patted his hand. He smiled though I could see he was welling up. Eric was bored, he started playing with my hair which was just darn right rude to Jed. I carried on listening though.


End file.
